Texas Continued

We spent last night at an RV park in Ozona which is a town of little or nothing, but the park was adequate. It was built before 40' rigs with cars in tow so the sites were very short, but they were pull-throughs and there weren't many sites occupied so it worked out. We just stopped for gas in a little town called Sonora, and they have individual banners up identifying their service memebers by name and thanking them for their service to their country. Nice.

We still aren't seeing much habitation but at least the landscape has turned green.....and the air humid. There are lots of trees and low growing bushes across the rolling landscape. The wind blew off and on last night but no thunderstorms materialized which is good. Severe thunderstorms can be precursors to tornados, and the last place I want to be during a tornado is in this motor home that would get flipped around like a matchbox.

We expect to get to Danny's later this afternoon, and he has given us directions for a scenic route via Kerrville so that should be enjoyable. More later. Ciao

A whole lot of nothing continues

We come upon a small rise only to look beyond and see another endless stretch of I-10 straddled by endless acres and miles of desert-like nothing. We get excited if we see roadkill!! There have been several coyotes, one black unidentifiable, and several truck tire caps.

Our destination is Ozona which has one RV park and that is one of one for the surrounding hundred miles!! It gets mixed reviews online with the biggest problem being small sites, but we just need a place to stop and sit still for the night so it will be fine. Tomorrow will be a <300 mile day to Danny and Christa's. Ciao

A Lot of Nothing

We stayed in El Paso at the Ft. Bliss Famcamp last night and proceeded to get a late start this morning....but it isn't as if there is anything to get excited about seeing in this part of the world. We are currently about 50 miles east of El Paso and there is NOTHING out here. We can look to our right and see Mexico since we have been paralleling the Rio Grande and at times have come within a half mile of it. The Border Patrol is very much in evidence around here. Ooooh, we just passed a green cultivated field of something. Woohoo!!

On the advice of the famcamp host, we took a circuitous route to get back to I-10 this morning and it took us through part of Ft. Bliss which is a huge Army base, and it is getting bigger with construction as far as the eye can see. We were told there are about 40,000 troops being transferred here, and by the time you factor in dependents you are looking at about 100,000 additional bodies that will require housing and medical care.

The speed limit for cars is 80 and trucks are 70 during the day. We continue to 'truck' along at about 62. I think we have a rest area in another fifty miles or so and we will stop for lunch. Ciao

New Mexico and Texas

We are within 70 miles of El Paso where we will stay at Ft. Bliss Army Base if there is space available. It has been a very uneventful drive with nothing but a lot of god-forsaken country to look at. We made a side trip into the town of San Simon to find the post office which wasn't difficult. I think the population is about 500 and the website says the high school will graduate seven seniors this year. The local Catholic Church looked like it was held together with a lot of faith, and it was about the size of the Catholic Church in Steilacoom. It looked like a town forgotten, or perhaps a town never recognized since I couldn't even find much of anything on the internet. Ken thinks cotton was/is the local crop.

All around it is flat with nothing but brown grass and a few yucca plants here and there. Off in the far distance are occasional uprisings of rock and cinder, but it all pretty much blends into the mundane foreground. We haven't even seen any wildlife, dead or alive. Ciao

Heading toward Texas

We spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday in the FamCamp at Davis Monthan and enjoyed some down time to just sit still and do a few chores. Ken installed a second vent cover on the roof so we can now drive with both vents open to allow a better circulation of air. And I went to the commissary on Saturday to restock some basic essentials.

The highlight yesterday was to take a drive around the base to look at the "boneyard" where there are hundreds of military aircraft either mothballed or destined for destruction. Google Earth gives a great perspective on the enormity of the site as well as good close-up views.

Oh, and the other highlight of the drive was to stop at a DQ for a Blizzard and locate a nearby Trader Joe's. Ciao

Steilacoom, Casa Grande, Tuscon

We left Steilacoom last Sunday and arrived back in CG on Thursday only to discover that our refrigerator had quit some time in the previous 48 hours. Fortunately, nothing was spoiled and there was little that had to be discarded. The most difficult part was paying the repair bill for a new board!!

We spent a bit of time with Colleen and Craig and Cassie and Greta while home. Colleen's trip to Rome, although not entirely as advertised, was nonetheless a marvelous experience. She has decided the Roman version of yes is actually maybe and probably not. She blogged a bit and posted some photos on the latest site that Keith set up for the family: daneswithkilts.net.

Craig and Cassie and Greta had us for dinner on Friday night, and it was DELISH as usual. Greta is growing like a weed, and is becoming quite grown up. We are excited that the three of them will join the rest of the family in Columbia next month for the graduations.

I hope/plan to blog more frequently as we make our way across country. I have to believe there will be some memorable moments worth blogging about. Ciao

We are going to stay here tomorrow and hit the road on Monday with a goal of arriving at Danny Schultz's by Wednesday evening. He and Christa and their two teen-age sons, Trevor and Corey, live in Rio Moreno which is northwest of San Antonio. Danny and Brian were friends in grade school and we have always thought of Danny as one of our own. We haven't seen him and his family for about 15 years so we are quite looking forward to this reunion.

It has been hotter than I would like, and I don't expect that situation to change any over the next two months. Thank goodness for A/C.

Rain, what else?

Actually yesterday and today have produced a few glimmers of sunshine, but the first few days at home were nothing but gray clouds and rain. Of course with all the rain, the yard was totally overgrown, except the apple trees which Craig had pruned, so we had a landscape service here to do a lot of trimming and to top the evergreens in front to open up our view.

Colleen gets back from Rome tomorrow night so we will get a first-hand account of the entire adventure. I understand the Italian orchestra did not arrive prepared, so there was an impact on the rehearsals and the performance.

If all goes as planned, we will probably leave for Arizona this weekend. We are about halfway through our commitments and appointments and should finish on Friday.

We went to Curt and Cinda's after church on Easter. As usual, we spent a very enjoyable afternoon of visiting and eating. Thomas is just beginning to get his feet under him, and he was taking several steps on his own as he walked from one person to another. That was Sunday, so he is probably running by now.

The Maersk Alabama captured my attention the entire time, and I especially connected with the captain and his family because there were two photos of him that looked exactly like our Keith. That plus the U.S. Navy involvement kept my interest up.

Craig and Cassie are having us for dinner on Friday night. That is always a treat because they, like the rest of this family, are great cooks and host and hostess. We have seen Craig briefly since we got home, but haven't seen the girls yet.

Here are Cinda and Linea's websites which are fascinating and informative reading. They are becoming very well know on several fronts, and hopefully on another once their book gets published. I am so impressed with their candor and honesty about the road they have traveled through Linea's illness, and I know they are a tremendous support for other families in the same situation. Bookmark these and take a look once in a while as they are both excellent writers.

http://www.wellsphere.com/linea-profile/119590

http://www.cindajohnson.blogspot.com/

http://www.lineacinda.com/

Ciao

Just crossed into Oregon

We will be sleeping in Steilacoom tonight after three five-hundred-mile-days from Casa Grande, but it has been an easy drive. Cooper might not agree as he doesn't have much room in the back of the Jetta, but he seems to be making the best of it.

The area here around Ashland is beautiful with all the hills and valleys displaying gorgeous spring greens. There is a dampness in the air, and clouds are hovering, but there is no rain.

The park in Casa Grande was getting pretty sparse by the time we left this week, and I suspect in another few days, the only residents will be the handful who stay year 'round.

We are looking forward to seeing Craig, Cassie, Greta, and all the Johnson family while we are home for the next ten days or so. And we will have Skyla as soon as we retrieve her from the kennel tomorrow.

We haven't heard from Colleen since she arrived in Rome, but she would have still been airborne when the earthquake hit north of Rome. I understand the second quake was felt in Rome, so she would have been there for that one. I know this is a busy week with about five hours of rehearsal time every day, so I'm not surprised we haven't heard from her.

We enjoyed a visit from Brian last weekend. He had a trip to Tucson and Phoenix for this week, so he came one day early to come and see us. His friend, Phil, who is still in the area joined us for the night as well.

Brian brought star gazer lillies, and since they were just two days old when we left, I couldn't bear to throw them away. I have had them with me in a glass of water in the side door pocket, and although they look a little the worse for wear, the car smells heavenly.

Janet managed to get tickets for Wicked while the guys are on their fishing trip in May, so it will be Janet and the girls, Janet's mother and I. We will just make a day of it by taking the train up and back. I have driven through NYC on more than one occasion, but this is the first time I will have set foot on a sidewalk!!

All the Kirkwoods will be in one place for the girls' graduations since Craig, Cassie, Greta, and Colleen are all going to be there. That is a rare occurence, and I am very much looking forward to it.

It is time to stop for coffee here in Medford. Ciao

Winding down

We are coming up on our final two weeks at this location before we make a mad dash back to Steilacoom for a few days. We'll leave the MH parked right where it is, drive the car home, return, jump in the MH and head east.

So far we have stops planned for San Antonio, Pensacola, and Ocala. Everything else is wide open with the only goal being that we are at Ft. Meade for our check-in date of May 15.

Keith has organized a deep sea fishing trip for the "boys" while we are all in Maryland, and Janet is working on a New York trip for a play for the girls. Fun fun.

Sheila just spent two weeks reserve time in Tucson and was able to drive up twice for visits which was really fun. We especially enjoyed hearing all the first=hand stories of the boys' accomplishments and plans. And on the second occasion, Brian's good friend from Ramstein and Mt. Home days joined us for dinner as he is undergoing some training at Luke AFB here in Glendale.

We really can't complain about our weather in that we have not yet experienced too many days that required constant air conditioning. Quite a bit of wind recently.....and hot weather on the way.

My friend, Elisabeth, came for a short visit last week. I think the most fun was introducing her to our very leisurely way of life. We did a bit of sightseeing, but spent lots of time sitting outside, sipping wine, and watching the birds. She has never been to Arizona so it was fun to see it all through someone else's eyes.

Gary and Carolyn are leaving in the morning, so we are going to go out to dinner tonight - In N Out Burger. And I will have them here for breakfast in the morning before they head out.

We have gotten acquainted with some of the folks parked nearby so it has been fun to visit back and forth. The couple behind us are from Nebraska, and he is a retired steel worker. They are driving a 1992 Holiday Rambler that they bought new, and tomorrow they are trading it in on an '04 Winnebago Adventurer. Another Winnebago owner.

That is as exciting as it gets around here. Ciao

Waiting for Weather

Finally this week, the temperatures are going to hit 80 which is plenty warm enough for me, but we all know that is just the beginning. The last two days have almost felt humid due to temperatures near 80 but lots of cloud cover. we are never satisfied with the weather, are we?

We three couples are going to the Desert Botanical Gardens this afternoon where there is currently a Chihuly glass display. I understand the gardens themselves are exceptional, and the glass just adds to it. Since I am never sure how Cooper behaves when we leave him behind (which is seldom), I have already asked forgiveness of the neighbors who said they have had lots of dogs and Cooper doesn't bother them.

Cooper has bothered us lately!!!!! On three occasions we have forgotten to put the bread basket out of reach, and he has taken full advantage. So we end up 1) worrying whether it is going to make him sick, 2) having bread crumbs and wrappers to clean up, and 3) frequently having no bread for us to eat!!

Mike and Mary found themselves in the Seattle area for the past three days, so we were able to offer them the house for a stay. They couldn't find the outside key the first night so drove back to Federal Way to a motel, but Craig rescued them the next day and got them inside. They visited with Colleen on Saturday, and she gave them the grand tour of her neighborhood and Fremont, and on Sunday, Craig picked them up and took them to Olympia for some sightseeing and dinner at their house. Dinner at Craig and Cassie's is always a treat!! I think they just appreciated getting away from the cold and piles of dirty snow in Spokane.

John Ratzenberger says, "The manual arts have always taken precedence over the fine arts. Remember, somebody had to build a ceiling before Michaelangelo could go to work. Ciao

Lion King, Ouseys and Spragues

The title indicates the highlights of the past weeks. Ouseys are parked beside us, and Rod and Karen finally were able to overcome the ice and snow and are now parked behind us. We seem to have settled into a routine of sharing drinks and dinner every few days, and there have been the all-important trips to the fabric store, Costco, Trader Joe's, the nail salon, and the RV store.

Our Christmas gift from Jeff and Bev, tickets for Lion King, was exceptional. The costumes, the sets, and the music were magnificent. I can't even fathom how some people are able to create these massive works of art. Many of the sets and backdrops were quite simple in and of themselves, but the addition of the dancing and the costumes caused the entire stage to become one stunning sight.

We joined several couples from Davenport for a birthday luncheon recently; the first of the group to enter the 71st year. There are about a half dozen couples who spend the winter at an RV park in Mesa, so they came halfway and we met in Chandler.

We are formulating our summer plans. We'll drive the car back to Steilacoom for some appointments the middle of April and then come back down here, pick up the motor home and drive east. Ken wants to revisit Pensacola, my cousin has invited us to visit them in Ocala, Florida, and then we need to be in Maryland around the 24th of May for the two graduations. We have made reservations at Ft. Meade which is about 20 minutes from where Keith and Janet live, so there is some sort of a plan.

I am now the proud owner of an orchid plant - my Valentine's Day gift from Ken. So far it has appeared to be happy and contented!! I have it on the dash in the front window, and since there are sun screens on the windows, it only gets filtered light which it should like.

We are still waiting for warm weather.......we sat outside this afternoon/evening, and I was frozen by the time the sun went down and we came inside. The rest of the week is supposed to be in the mid to high seventies.


A RETIREE'S THOUGHT

My husband said, "What are you doing today?"

I said, "Nothing."

He said, "You did that yesterday."

I said, "I didn't finish."


Ciao

In N Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what to our wondering eyes should appear but an In N Out Burger in the new Casa Grande shopping center, and of course we had to immediately try it out. For those of you who have never heard of nor encountered an In N Out Burger, it almost has a cult following probably because the locations are limited pretty much to California and some other parts of the southwest. Every restaurant we have visited looks EXACTLY like every other In N Out Burger restaurant.

The menu consists of a hamburger, a double hamburger, a cheeseburger, fries, soft drinks and three flavors of milk shakes. The fries are made from fresh potatoes, and if you look behind the counter, you will see an employee dutifully feeding whole peeled potatoes through the french fry cutter. All employees are fresh-faced teens who are a cut above what you would expect in a fast food establishment, and they are paid accordingly.

We will indulge another time or two while we are here, and then I will have had my fix for another year.

The weather has cooled a bit and we have had some sprinkles of rain over the past few days with the temps hovering in the high sixties. Right now I see blue sky and sunshine.

The Ouseys who have been on the desert near Quartzite for the past week are due here tomorrow so we will spend some time catching up. Carolyn and I always have to make at least one pilgrimage to IKEA and Trader Joe's, and although she doesn't know it yet, the annual quilting and craft show in Phoenix is coming up this week, so I will try to entice her to join me for that.

Have you read "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson? If not, get your hands on a copy ASAP. It is a true story of one man's efforts to build a school (schools) in Pakistan and Afghanistan. You will be amazed and completely drawn into his ongoing efforts, failures and successes. I must admit I had never heard of the man nor the book, but Brian and Sheila gave us the book for Christmas, and I am hooked!! You will see why as you read it.

We invited two couples from Wisconsin for drinks yesterday afternoon; this after the two Wisconsin guys had removed the bedroom slide from their fifth-wheel to repair a rotting floor caused by an ongoing water leak. it didn't take long for the half dozen 'geezers' to realize they weren't going to be able to remove and lower the slide, so the owner of a Bobcat came to the rescue. Slide removed, floor repaired, slide replaced and they slept in their bed last night.

One couple we knew from last year and both of the guys own barber shops within a half block of each other in Hager City, Wisconsin and have been friends for years. We now have an invitation for a place to stay on our return trip from Maryland next summer if we choose to go through Wisconsin.........which we probably will since I have always wanted to visit the Winnebago factory in Iowa.

And in another week or so, I will regale you with more heart-stopping, mind-blowing adventures from the land of sunshine. Ciao

Ahhh sunshine

We are basking in mid-seventies weather!!!! We arrived this afternoon and are parked and set up in the same site as last year. Cooper likes it back here. And on my way to the laundry room, I encountered a couple who were here last year, so of course it is like old home week.

I-5 had been closed last week due to flooding, but I closely monitored a Seattle TV station website which was giving real-time updates on weather and roads. I-5 opened to trucks at noon on Friday and regular traffic at two.....we went through Chehalis about three!! We stopped in Albany for the night to visit Dick and Harriet Light who live in the Mennonite Village with everything from single family homes to condos and apartments. It offers care from assisted living up to Alzheimer care, which is what Dick is going to be needing in the not too distant future.

Bless his heart. He had no idea who we were, and he has gotten quite thin, but when he smiled, we saw the old Dick. He was always such a swashbuckling daring-do kind of guy, that it is very heart-wrenching to see him fail. But we had a good visit with Harriet, and she treated us to dinner at a Hungarian restaurant that is to die for.

Saturday night was the Wal mart parking lot in Red Bluff, Sunday an RV park in Bakersfield, and on to the desert outside Quartzite on Monday. There was a full moon and the stars were awesome while we were there. It seemed there were fewer rigs in town and parked on the desert, but the 'main event' doesn't start until Saturday, and we passed a lot of motor homes heading that way, so I guess it is going to pick up.

All that house cleaning and laundry I did today tired me out, so I am signing off.

Ciao

Happy New Year

We "weathered" the Christmas holiday and are now waiting on the weather to head south!!

There was a window of opportunity on 12/24 to allow us to get to Colleen's for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and to get home again on the 26th. Curt, Cinda and Linea canceled their plans to go to Spokane because of weather, so they joined us on Christmas Eve for our traditional fondue, pickled herring and Aquavit. Holidays are meant to be spent with friends and family.

Joel and Shawna were married in spite of the weather. Instead of 90 guests, there were about 45. I hurried and mailed the candy wedding favors, but alas, they were one day late, so the family has been munching on them.

Here is my favorite story about the wedding we couldn't attend:

Early in December, I booked a hotel room for two nights thinking we would be in Spokane for the wedding. It was just a Super 8 on Argonne Road, but it took pets and they were offering a two-night special. However, the setup for their website tends to pull you along, and when all is said and done, the reservation cannot be changed, canceled or refunded. Arrrgggh!!

In a moment of blinding intelligence, I called Mike and Joel and told them the room was there and paid for if someone attended the wedding and then wanted to stay over, or couldn't get back home because of the weather. So, the bride and groom stayed there the night of their wedding. Sheesh, had I known that, I would have opted for a bit higher-end place. I think Shawna's family was staying at their house, and Joel and Shawna left on 12/25 for a honeymoon cruise to Mexico, so Super 8 it was for their wedding night. I love it.

BTW, I am asking everyone to boycott Super 8 motels and all Wyndham properties due to their deceitful marketing practices. In fact, when I called the motel about it, the receptionist said they had had others complaint about the same thing.

Jeff and Bev were here for their annual post-Christmas visit, and we did the usual: sleep in, play Boggle, and eat and drink at our leisure. Bev and I also did a bit of quilting.

Our goal had been to leave here yesterday for warmer climes, but the flooding has delayed our departure. I-5 has a 20-mile stretch around Centralia/Chehalis that has been closed since Wednesday afternoon because it is flooded, and now it is due to be open to trucks later today. We couldn't go west toward Aberdeen and pick up 101 because of road closures between here and there.

But we now have no excuse for forgetting anything since we have had two extra days to take care of last minute details.

Craig and Cassie narrowly escaped a repeat of last year's flooding. The water came to within inches of the floor of the house but didn't come inside. They had some lead time so were able to move furniture up off the floor in the event of flooding. The outside yard is littered with anthing and everything that can float, but that is better than mud and water inside.

I saw the surgeon on Tuesday and got a thumbs up. In fact the fusion site shows healing that would be at the four-month time frame rather than two, so I am pleased. I have been armed with all sorts of exercises by the physical therapist to keep me on track this winter, and I am looking forward to pleasant walking weather.

The next blog should be from some other state than Washington!! Ciao

Brrrrr

We have had more snow, ice, and cold than we have ever seen while living in western Washington. We have received about six inches of snow on the ground, and the temperatures have stayed below 32 so the snow has been going no where. Now I hear on the news that there is another storm headed our way.

The only way we have been able to navigate our hill is with chains, and even at that, we almost didn't get up this afternoon because we were plowing snow that was clear up to the undercarriage. That was after we waited for the neighbors to shovel enough snow off the road so they could get into their driveway.

Brian, Sheila and the boys arrived at their condo in McCall yesterday for a week of skiing. Keith, Janet and the girls left Ft. Lauderdale yesterday for a Christmas cruise. Keith called from the ship's deck where it was all sunshine and 80 degrees!

We had to cancel our plans to go to our nephew Joel's wedding which is tomorrow. Most everything is at a standstill from Seattle to Spokane, and Spokane has had record-breaking snowfall over the past few days. Even if we could get out of town, I doubt we could get anywhere once we got to Spokane. Even Greyhound and Amtrack hasve stopped service.

We are sorry to miss the wedding, but as we watch the news of weather across the country, we are glad to stay at home and inside where we are warm and comfortable. We are hoping traffic is much improved on the 24th so we can get to Colleen's for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Here is a find for eating your veggies:

Oven Roasted Cauliflower
yield: Makes 4 servings
active time: 10 min
total time: 45 min

Blasting cauliflower florets in a hot oven concentrates their natural sweetness, turning them into something akin to vegetable candy.

Ingredients

* 1 medium head cauliflower (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide florets (8 cups)
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss cauliflower with oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and roast, stirring and turning over occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

Ciao

Twelve Days til Christmas

We are going to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Colleen's so this feels like quite a leisurely Christmas season. I have done most of my shopping online so haven't even had to deal with stores and traffic. We have two little 'pretend' trees on either side of the fireplace, so their little white lights along with a fire make it look quite festive. The German nutcrackers, smoker, and pyramid are in their places, and the nativity set is in its usual prominent place.

Colleen's sacred music choral is singing three concerts this weekend with the third being here in Tacoma tomorrow nightso my friend Elisabeth is going to join us at least for the concert if not for dinner before.

Then Colleen is staying here Sunday night and taking Monday off so we can have a baking extravaganza, but before I would agree to it, we had to figure out what we would do with the finished products because I certainly don't need baked goods here to tempt me. She has befriended a Russian man who lives in her neighbood so he is going to be the recipient of cookies and goodies. Ilia lost many of his relatives in the Chernobyl disaster, but beyond that I don't know how he ended up in Seattle. He quite likes Colleen and her dog.

We are expecting a blast of Arctic air over the next few days with daytime highs not getting above freezing. Let's hope the electricity and furnace keep going. It makes me stop and think about the homeless and those who can't pay their utility bills.....we are very fortunate.

Ciao

It's December already

I never seem to be able to anticipate December coming right on the heels of Thanksgiving....but it does.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with family assembled plus a couple of extras. Ken and Colleen were troopers to help or I probably could not have pulled it off. And of course everyone brought something, so there was way too much food, as usual.

Yesterday was Ken's and my 46th wedding anniversary, and we contemplated doing something special......at least go out for lunch or dinner, but the weather wasn't all that inviting, and we chose to stay home and share a steak dinner and a good bottle of wine. All four of our children remembered and called with good wishes, and Ken gave me a gorgeous bouquet of 3 dozen red roses. How special is all of that?

Our calendar is pretty clear up until Christmas week when we have to go to Spokane for our nephew Joel's wedding on December 23. So we will drive over on the 23rd and return on the 24th. Here's hoping the weather cooperates!!

My recovery is going well with the biggest challenge to be able to walk for longer lengths of time. I think I have some nerves in my leg that are still trying to return to normal, hence the discomfort. The physical therapist has me walking with trekking poles which seem to be making a difference. Patience, Helen.

Boredom does threaten once in a while. I would love to be quilting, but since that requires sitting and bending over, I haven't been given the go-ahead yet. So I quilt vicariously by surfing the net and looking for ideas and good buys on patterns and fabric!!!!! This could be an expensive recovery.

We have Christmas music playing, and I am slowly unpacking some of our Christmas items, so tis the season!! Ciao

Quick Update

Considering we are home about 90% of the time, there is little to write about.

We are having Thanksgiving here with Craig, Colleen, Curt & Cinda, Linea (Josh has to work), Cliff, Jordan and baby Thomas. Colleen is coming this week end to help with some of the prep stuff, and everyone is bringing something so it should be a fun day.

I ventured out last Friday afternoon with two friends to spend some time at a quilt and craft show in Puyallup, and I did survive with a lot of breaks to sit whenever I could find a chair. And I didn't spend a penny!!

Bev came up for a short visit about ten days ago to check on my progress. She came on Saturday and went home on Monday, but we had lots of time to just sit and visit and peruse quilting magazines. Now that is a GOOD friend!!

I am grateful to have the election behind us and to have the political ads and signs disappear. Now it is the Christmas advertisements, but so far they haven't been too bad. I suspect with the economy, businesses are hesitant to spend the money.

I hope everyone has a blessed and happy Thanksgiving. Ciao

Back again

I am getting antsy and crabby so I must be on the mend!!!! I had surgery a week ago, and each day gets a tiny bit better, although sometimes the tiny bits are really tiny. I am heartened with what was done (considerably more extensive than last time) and with the expected outcome. I am prone to spinal stenosis which translates to lots of bone buildup in the nerve canals causing them to be pinched. The surgeon said 25% closure usually causes enough discomfort to require surgery and I had about 8 eight areas, several of which were at 50% to 75% closure. So a major roto rooter job plus fusion should have me dancing the fandango in a matter of weeks. Thanks to all who have called and written and brought food and flowers.

There is the election to occupy me for today, and at least one can't say this hasn't been a full and eventful election year. I suspect Democrats will do well in light of the chaos we are experiencing at the moment.

With nothing but time on my hands, I have been thinking about our trip south this winter and have decided I would like to move around just a bit more this year. We are reserved for two solid months at Casa Grande, but I am thinking we should pick up and take a week's outing for a little change of view. Both Hatch, New Mexico and Ft. Huachuca appeal to me, but they are both a bit chilly. We haven't been to Yuma for several years, so that is a possibility.

Ciao

Whitman County Birthday Trip

Colleen and I spent last weekend in eastern Washington for a little fun trip to celebrate our birthdays. Friday night we stayed at a B&B in Uniontown that was a convent in a former life. There was a huge Catholic presence in the area as it was settled, and every small town has its own church and cemetery, and in this case, its own convent. There was a lot that could have been done to enhance the property, and the experience, but it was fine, and served as a launching pad for our weekend.

There was a Harvest Festival up the road in Colton so we took that in and left with silver earrings, heirloom tomatoes and apple cider. Moscow, Palouse, and Viola were all on the trip of the day, and each had its own charm. Viola has about two houses, and there was a quilt show at Granny's out in the country. We drove several miles and arrived at a non-descript rather unkempt house, but it was full of quilts and fabric!!

We stayed with Rod and Karen on Saturday and Sunday nights, and I spent Sunday afternoon visiting with Mike, Mary, Becky, and baby Ben who is walking around things but hasn't quite taken flight yet. Mary presented both Colleen and I with homemade apple crisp (Colleen's most favorite thing), and in fact Karen had apple crisp for us when we arrived on Saturday evening. Colleen scored big time.

We went to Green Bluff on Sunday and came away with some honey and various beans and lentils. I bought many different varieties of lentils at the Moscow Co-op so we are well supplied. On our way home we stopped in Gleed (between Yakima and Naches) and bought some fruit and squash. What a fun harvest weekend.

Now I am in the throes of a bunch of appointments to get ready for another back surgery on October 28th. The problems are similar to what they were five years ago, and I have ignored them for as long as I can. I am looking forward to being able to walk more than fifteen minutes at a time and to effortlessly turn over in bed at night. Surgery will be in the afternoon, and I will go home the next day.

We have loosely planned our winter trip down south. We are going to spend the second week of January at Tecopa Hot Springs that we visited two years ago, and Karen and Rod will join us. Then on to the desert at Quartzite for a few days before settling in at Foothills West in Casa Grande the middle of January for two months. We are happy to see the price of gasoline come down, but we had already taken higher gas prices into account as we made our plans.

Ciao